Use a long range plan to more effectively reach goals that will take awhile to reach

It's rare for a group to have only short term goals that are achieved quickly. Usually a group's mission is broad, with several or many goals, and it needs some time to reach them. In such cases, a long range plan can help to gradually build support for what you want. Ask an established group for a copy of its long range plan to see how one is written.

A long range plan consists of five steps:

1. Decide on or confirm the group's mission

2. Agree on what the group has done and is doing now

3. Identify medium and long term goals for the future (next year, 3 years, 5 years, longer)

4. Decide on strategies and tactics (specific tools such as petitioning or lobbying) to achieve those goals

5. Make sure the plan is carried out.

It is best to hold a one-day (or longer) meeting or set aside time at several regular group meetings to create a long range plan, using a process like the 5 steps listed above. Break down the plan into goals (Goal 1, Goal 2...) or by the work each committee or sub-group of your organization will be doing. Often the goals and committee projects will go together.

Follow-up (step 5) is crucial. The group can have a nicely written plan, but it is a recipe for failure if there is no one to oversee whether it is being followed or the goals being reached. Choose a person or committee to watch over the plan and set aside time at regular group meetings to measure actual success against your goals. Sometimes you may feel your group is spinning its wheels, but when you look back at the long range plan you may find a lot more success than you thought.